Community Planning & Economic Development

Revisions to the Planned Unit Development Chapter of the Zoning Code

Background

Planned unit developments are projects on larger lots (one acre or more), often with more than one building, where the City considers the entire development comprehensively as one unified project. Because of the larger size of sites the regulations are designed to allow flexibility in exchange for amenities that result in higher quality development that utilize the unique features of a site.

The primary objective of this text amendment is to ensure that the City’s planned unit development regulations align with its adopted (and forthcoming) policies related to land use, transportation, urban design, and environmental sustainability.

The Revisions

The minimum lot area has been reduced from two acres to one acre.

Planned residential, commercial, and industrial development categories have been eliminated and replaced with just a planned unit development, but they are still conditional use permits subject to the standards of the zoning district in which they are located.

Many of the introductory sections have been revised to reflect staff practice in the administration of the code or to address issues that have arisen with administration of the code.

A significant change is that section 527.120, exceptions has been changed to alternatives and creates a point system that requires a certain minimum amount of points for every planned unit development and for each alternative to a zoning code requirement requested. This is intended to set clear expectations for the types of amenities that are expected for alternatives.

Another major change is a new table with a menu of amenities, with assigned point values that applicants can choose from to obtain approval. Please note that applicants are not required to meet these standards unless they are using the amenity to obtain points for the planned unit development approval. There is one category that allows the applicant to propose an amenity or amenities that are not on the list to anticipate significant amenities that can not be envisioned at this point.

Additional alternatives (formerly exceptions) are authorized for setbacks on the perimeter of a development not bordering a residential use or district and in the PO districts, for signs, and for size and number of commercial uses in the OR districts.

revisions are incorporated into Title 20 of the
City’s Code of Ordinances, the City’s zoning code, with most changes occurring in chapter 527.

Approval Process and Community Engagement

Public Meeting/Open House. A public meeting was held Tuesday May 5, 2009, at City Hall where staff discussed the proposed changes to the PUD chapter with attendees.

City Planning Commission. Zoning code amendments are reviewed by the City Planning Commission, which makes a recommendation to the City Council regarding adoption of the proposed changes. The City Planning Commission accepted testimony at a public hearing about the proposed revisions on July 27, 2009, and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the City Council.

City Council Zoning and Planning Committee

City Council. The City Council must take an action on proposed ordinance revisions. The City Council considered and adopted the amendment on August 28, 2009.